Hello everyone!
 
Okay, lurker mode off...  I've been subscribed for several months now,
and haven't yet posted.  So let me begin with introductions.  I'm Chris,
a 2nd year Veterinary Student at North Carolina State University.  I have
two ferrets, a male, Sable (his name, not his color), that's 1 1/2, and a
female, Maija (who IS sable colored), who is 1.  Actually, they're my
fiancee's, but she's in a dorm, so I'm keeping them for now.  I have a
great love of mustelids, having done my Masters thesis on the juvenile
and maternal behavior of ermine.  And I love my (our) fuzzies!
 
Okay, about the newsgroup.  Let me for one put in a vote for it.  It
seems that most of you don't have newsreaders, or at least ones that let
you get Usenet type stuff.  The latest discussion started about 1-2
months ago on rec.pets and somehow I got thrust into the forefront of
it.  I had actually made plans to get the ball rolling on creating one
around the beginning of the year.  I just got back from vacation, so I
haven't done it.  And to Russ--please feel free to take this ball and run
with it.  Honestly, I don't have much time to put into it (being in
school), and was only doing it because I just sort of ended up there.  If
you need help, though, I'm more than willing.  E-mail me directly so we
don't waste bandwidth here.
 
Anyway, back to the newsgroup.  I agree with the comments about the
traffic on FML being low, and newsgroups being good flame-bait.  But
unless someone carefully monitors rec.pets faithfully, they'll miss the
occasional postings about the FML (I think Pam does them, but not sure).
I've brought up the subject on rec.pets and gotten positive response, if
weak (about 20-25 repies).  It's a good idea for those who just got onto
the Internet, or those who do a lot of browsing.  And I don't think that
flames would make it here since this is a moderated group.
 
Okay, enough of that.  Now I have a question for y'all.  Sable, the male,
has been losing hair lately.  He seems very skinny, though it may just be
hair loss.  My first thought was adrenal problems.  But his hair loss
isn't great, and it's not in any one spot.  I took him to my vet today
(who has had ferret experience), and she said that it might be dietary.
His coat seemed dry to her, and she said it didn't look like classic
hyperadrenalcorticotropoism.  So he's on a dietary skin supplement.  She
also thought his urine looked more crystalline than normal, even though a
urinalysis came out normal, so the ferrets are now on Feline C/D.  Dr.
Williams or anyone else have any comments or similar experiences?  I just
want to know other opinions.
 
Okay, this has gotten too long.  Thanks for listening!
 
*-------------------------------*------------------------------------------*
        Chris Bern              |  Teacher: Yakko, can you conjugate?
        [log in to unmask]    |  Yakko:  Who me?  I've never even *kissed*
                                |       a girl!
        NCSU-CVM                |  Teacher:  No no no.  It's easy.  I'll
        Raleigh, NC             |       conjugate with you.
                                |  Yakko:  Goodnight, everybody!
*-------------------------------*------------------------------------------*
[Posted in FML issue 1071]